Printing device



Patented Dec. 27, 192,7.

UNITED STATES 1,654,041 PATENT OFFICE.

-lOSEPH S. DUNCAN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS,TO

ADDRESSOGRAZPH COMPANY, OE CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF DELA,

i WARE.

:PRINTING envien.

Application led March 27, 1926. Serial No. 97,830.

In my Patents No. 1,082,505 and No. l,082,506, patented December 30,.1913, l have described the use of index tabs adapted to he detachablyengaged with printing devices tor controlling the printing operationsvnl a printing mach1ne,and I have disclosed means which can be easily setand which is lill . @ne or more detacha he engaged with an not lilrelyto hecome disarranged or inoperative. A

lin the accompanying drawings I have selected lor illustration aprinting iframe torni ot printing device to which the invention is welladapted and referring thereto l'lig. l is a iront view, and

llig. 2 is a hack view of the vice einhodying the invention.

Referring to the drawings, 5 designates a trame which is provided withsuitable de vices lor receiving and holding a plate 6 which hearsl theprinting characters in relief thereon. The frame ispreferably providedwith a plurality of slots toiorm keepers 7, d whichare arranged in aseries or row across the trame adacent the top thereof.

hie tabs 9 is adapted to pair of keepers, and

this tah may he ma e in any -desired -form and may be secured in theframe in any desired manner.

l provide the frame, between the series oil' keepers and the printingplate, with a plurality oi:u spaced openings l0 which are preierahlylpositioned in a predetermined arrangement providin a plurality .of horiaantal and perpendicu ar rows of openings, the openings in each rowbeing in alignment.

It is customary in printing devices of this general class to provide theframe vwith a head ll and with other devices 12 for receiving andholding an information card which is detachahly engaged therewith. Ihave shown in the drawings devices which have heen satisfactorilyemployed for this purprinting de'- pose and a card 13 arranged in itsproper position on the front of the trame in Fig. l. In my presentinvention this card is provided with an openinon let to register with anopening l0 in the according to a desired classification.

Printing devices of' this character are Tied one at a time through anaddressing or other printing machine, which comprises certain controllerdevices adapted to he set for operation by the printing devices of acertain classification. In my patents aforesaid, and in, my companionapplication, Serial No. 97 ,829 filed concurrently herewith, the indextab also performs the function of a control unit to operate thecontroller devices and eiiect. an operation of the machine to produce animpression from the printing device carrying the tah, but in thisinvention I provide for operating the controller devices independentlyot an inden tah and, in fact, the printing device may he used with outan index: tah. 4

These printing devices are generally arranged in accordance with a cardindex system in trays or drawers and all ot the printing devices in atray may he deposited in a magazine oi? the machine from which they areted automatically one at a time in accordance with their originalclassihea` tion and arrangement. 'Ihe opening in the thaine andpositioned "ill i card and trame may he disposed in accordn ance withany desired classiiication.. I have shown 36 openings in the frame toprovide y 36 diterent classifications, hut the classifications may beincreased or reduced in number hy correspondingly increasing or4reducingthe number of openings in the traine. When the printing devicesare run through the machine, one at a time, the controller devices willhe operated by those printing devices only of a selected' classificationand for which the controller devices of the machine have been set; allor' the other printing devices will travel through the machine Withoutcausing a printing operation. I have not considered it necessary to showthe lcontroller because that 4forms no part of the present invention andit may hevaried in construction and operation in many wa s. I maymention however, that the contro er may consist ofa single fingeradapted to be los adjusted .to an classification position so that itwill enter t e aligned openings 14,` of every printingdevice of thatclassification thatis fed vfrom the magazine through the machine andproduce a printing impression therefrom. All other printing devices, of

other classifications, will travel throughthe machine without effectinga printing operaltion. .card With only one opening, cards for dif- Thisconstruction contemplates a classification; but the card may be providedwith openings to correspond With all of the openings in the frame and asingle controller finger set for a selected classification. The printingdevice may be used with controller systems and with classificationsystems which vary more or less from those describedV herein which arereferred to for a better understanding of the invention rather than as alimitation of the scope of the invention.

My present invention provides a control unit for operating thecontroller of a printingmachi-ne which permits of ay very lar e numberof classifications, since it will e understood that the openings 14, 10may be very small and may be greatly multiplied as compared with thoseshown. And the classification may be carried further by formingcombinations of two or more openings; that is to say, by providing theframe with the standard openings and punching two or more openings Ainthe cards and .adjusting controller fingers to operate in said openings.

lThe invention issimple in character, it can be easily produced in acommercial Wayl and practiced without special skill, and it enables anextended system of classification which is sometimes highly desirable.The card conforms' with the practice now prevailing of providingprinting devices of this character with cards for carrying information,and I utilize the card in the manner described as the means for makingthe printinfr device a control unit.

My invention can be embodied in other kinds of-printing devices of thetype shown and also 1n one-piece late printing devices lconstituting, ineffect, rames carrying cards,

of and provided with a classification opening' registering with saidopening in the frame, both openings being adapted to receive acontroller device for operating a printing machine.

2. A printing device for printing addresses or the like comprising aframe having a plurality of spaced openings within its mar- Gin, and acard detaehably mounted on the frame over said openings and having oneor more classification openings in alignment with one or more of saidopenings in the frame, the aligned openings being adapted to receivecontroller means for operating a printing machine.

3. A printing device for printing addresses or the like comprisin aframe having a plurality of classificatlon openings therein, and meanson one side of the frame obstructing all except one or more of saidclassification openings.

4. A printing device for printing addresses or the like comprising aframe having a plurality of classificatlon openings therein, andchangeable means on one slde of the frame obstructing all except one ormore of said classification openings in the frame.

5. The combination of a frame for a printing device for printingaddressesor the like and having a plurality of classification openingsWithin its margin and means for receiving and holding a card, and a cardarranged on the frame over sald openlngs and engaged yvvith said meansand having an opening registering with an opening in the frame todesignate. the device according to a predetermined classification.

JOSEPH S. DUNCAN.

